Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 51833
virologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de
Abstract / Zusammenfassung
Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic alphaherpesvirus that infects immune cells and causes a deadly lymphoproliferative disease in chickens. Cytokines and monoclonal antibodies promote the survival of chicken lymphocytes in vitro. Here, we describe protocols for the isolation, maintenance, and efficient MDV infection of primary chicken lymphocytes and lymphocyte cell lines. This facilitates the investigation of key aspects of the MDV life cycle in the primary target cells of viral replication, latency, genome integration, and reactivation.